recieving freight shipment

[Paul Douglass]

I am about to order a new lathe. I am a little concerned about how the shipping will go. If you receive lift gate service, will they set it on the ground for you or just down to the ground and you have to get it off the lift gate? Do you know when they are coming, what day? I'm asking because I work and would need to make arrangements to be there, don't think my wife can lift it. I live in the country and may need to meet the truck because depending on truck size, they may not make it up my private road.

[Paul Heely]

I had my lathe and DC both delivered with lift gate service. In both cases the trucking company called the day before to give me a time range when they would be there. Both times the driver rolled the pallet down the driveway and into the garage, 50' or so. I think the actual "rule" is they have to place it on the ground but are not obligated to roll it anywhere else.

Another option is to go pick it up at the local trucking terminal. Saves on the extra delivery fee if you have a way to bring it home and then unload it.

Good Luck.
--
Paul

[Brodie Brickey]

Like Paul, I had my lathe delivered. They wheeled it into the garage for me. The lift gate service was part of the shipping (via Amazon). I've had other things delivered, like a refrigerator and that was wheeled in as well.

The driver usually has a pallet jack which helps. As long as you don't have the driver threading a needle to get it in, they are very obliging.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

When they delivered my MM-16, the driver pulled it on a pallet jack 100' down my gravel driveway while my neighbor and I moved 3 sheets of plywood for him to roll on. I had to work at it but I finally got the driver to take a $20 tip. He did not want to take it but he went well beyond the call of normal duty IMHO.

[Matt Meiser]

When I ordered a Yorkcraft jointer I had the same experience. But my guy didn't even have to work as my shop has a 12' door and he was able to back up close enough that the lift gate was actually in my shop.

Do be careful on inspection. Note ANY damage no matter how small. If the driver will let you, open things up enough to check inside. Or if you get a good driver and there's damage, he'll call ahead and see if you even want them to bring it out--like the guy who was supposed to deliver our hot tub cover today, but could see the tear in the vinyl through the tear in the box.

[Allen Neighbors]

Make friends with your local Volunteer Fire Dept. Ask them to meet you and help you get it into your shop. Then get the names of those who come, and turn each of them a thank you.
I had to have a utility trailer ready, connected to my riding lawnmower, in order to move it into my shop. The lift-gate was to lower it to the street only. Some drivers aren't as amiable.

[Glenn Hodges]

Paul, hope you do better than me. The trucking company would not deliver it to my house because I live on a dirt road out in the country. I had to go to the shippers dock which was 70 miles from my house. They put my bandsaw on my trailer, and I bought it home. So much for good customer service.

[Dennis Puskar]

Real nice to hear everybody helping everybody.

Dennis

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I'm going to put in a plug for SAIA trucking again. When I got my Grizzly planer not only did the driver help move it into the shop but waited while we uncrated it and checked for any damage before giving us papers to sign off on it. (After driving down a dirt road with two very sharp bends to get to the shop). Forgot to offer him any tip.

[Chris Barnett]

Had excellent experience with SAIA when tablesaw was delivered, and again the same with delivery of bandsaw. They placed both in the garage and waited until I was satisfied with condition. I had to go get my lathe and with help of an engine hoist from HF, neighbor and I easily moved it into the basement. Best investment [in my physical well being] has been buying the 2 ton engine hoist on sale from HF, about $130. Must be careful of the back.

[Paul Andrews]

Paul,

Like you, I live in an area where a semi cannot drive to. All the trucking companies use a semi with a lift gate and a pallet jack. My options were to meet the truck and hope we could find level ground and lower the lift gate to the height of my pickup tailgate, then use the pallet jack to load into the bed, or drive the 70 miles to the trucking company. I opted to make the drive rather than chance the transfer with an expensive piece of equipment. Once home the lathe was disassembled one piece at a time and carried to the shop.

[Steve Trauthwein]

I was at work when my 3520b came. It was ordered from amazon.com. I don't know who they used for shipping but the guy used a jack to man handle it down my 30° fifty foot gravel driveway and then made a left for another fifty feet to get it in my basement. I am just thankful that it was not a wet day. After it finally came the wife said she didn't think the box was big enough to hold the lathe. I fretted for several hours thinking they had sent me the wrong one until I got home and saw it!

Good luck with your delivery. Let us know how it went.

Regards, Steve

[Bobby Perry]

When my Jet was delivered, the driver unloaded it and set it in my shop. He was as excited about it as I was and he helped me unpack it and set it up. I was his last delivery that day. I think he has a lathe now.

[Reed Gray]

When my Beauty got here, it was on a lift gate truck. The driver used a pallet jack to get it on the gate, got it down to ground level, and off the gate. He then said we can get it up the driveway, so he and my 2 friends pushed it up over the drive way lip (about 1 1/2 inches), and up a 3 ft rise by 20 ft run drive. I told him we probably couldn't wheel it on the gravel to the shop because the 'path' through the logs wasn't wide enough (the pallet was side ways, not length wise), and the last 15 feet was about 2 inches deep with compacted chain saw shavings. We were able to get the pallet off, the mobility wheels on, and wheel it back on some 3/4 plywood. My friend who got my PM got it into his little VW.
robo hippy

[Paul Douglass]

Well based on all these comments I placed my order today! We will see how it goes. Ordered a Nova 1624.